Proud to be cheesy

A forward-thinking dad helped Jane Bennett's farm become the first to make and sell cheeses normally imported from England.

The story so far...

Who: Jane BennettAge: 35Where: Elizabeth Town, TasCompany: Ashgrove FarmWhat they've done: First to make and sell cheeses normally imported from England in the Australian market. Most recently, developed wasabi cheese for export to Japan.Innovation is "about being creative and being prepared to do something different. It's about thinking outside the square and not being afraid to make a mistake."

Jane Bennett describes herself as the idiot that helped her father and uncle's dream become reality.

Jane's father and uncle, who are Tasmanian dairy farmers, came up with the idea of making cheddar cheese to value-add to their milk production, but it fell to her to make it happen.

After studying the technical aspects, Jane headed to the UK to learn the art of cheese-making. That's when she realised all the Lancashire, Gloucester and Leicester cheese in Australia was imported, so she decided to make traditional English cheeses for sale in Australia.

Jane was only 23 when her father let her build a cheese factory on the farm. Despite being told that her idea would never work, she succeeded in creating a thriving and innovative cheese factory business.

Her company, Ashgrove Farms, recently created the world's first wasabi cheese for the Japanese market.

Under the spotlight

Q. How could you be sure you could sell English-style cheese in Australia?

A:I wasn't. I was young, only 23. I had this youthful innocence and conviction it would work. The benefit of being young was that I didn't know the pitfalls. We did things that everyone else said we couldn't.

We started packing cheese straight away for supermarkets, just like I'd packed cheese in the UK. Everyone said we couldn't supply the supermarkets because we were too small, but I just blindly went ahead. If I did it again now I would be a lot more cautious and a lot less gung-ho.

Q. What was your biggest challenge?

A: When we started making the cheese initially it was terrifying. We had second-hand equipment that I hadn't used before and my nearest help was in the UK.

I was a bit scared to start with. It was also a challenge making cheese that, as it would be aged, wouldn't go to market for six to 12 months. The problem was trying to work out how much cheese to make for a market that at that point did not exist. It was a difficult thing to manage for about three years.

Q. How did you fund your idea?

A: It cost an arm and a leg. We were creating a business that wasn't going to have a cash flow for the first 12 months. We were fortunate that we owned the farm. The farm business has to carry the cheese factory cash-flow needs. In order to borrow to build we have to use the farm as collateral.

Because my parents wanted the cheese factory they let me do things that sane people would never let you do.

Q. How do you stay ahead of copycats?

A: We've had a few copycats that have started up making the same styles. But they haven't had the level of experience doing it in the UK. It's one thing to follow a recipe, it's another to know what you're doing.

We've had to change what we do. You can't stay the same. The market requires new things all the time.

We've created a wasabi cheese for the Japanese market. It has been such a hit that our wasabi machine broke the other day because it's been working so hard. You can't patent it because it's a flavour. We've already got a copycat out there.

You have to stay ahead of the game. If you do something successfully, people are going to copy. It's a compliment.

Q. Do you think the agricultural industry is good at innovation?

A: The history of agriculture in Australia is that we're only innovative when in crisis. We tend to sit on our laurels when times are good and reap the rewards. We only think ahead when we're hit with a crisis.

You are more likely also to find women doing innovative things than men. Women are more open to change because in farming families they tend to marry into the family, where as men have experienced the tradition of growing up and staying on the same family farm.

Agriculture is largely family-based but there can be some difficulty changing what we do because of the bizarre relationship families have with the land and the culture that has been going on for generations.

Q. How does exporting affect your business?

A: People tend to view export as a sign that you've made it. If you're in the niche end of the market, you only export if people will pay the price for that niche market.

Exporting is a difficult thing to get into, especially in the food industry. It involves a lot of work around licensing and red-tape. Because of that we outsource the process and stick to what we're good at.

Q. Any advice to budding agri-business innovators?

A: Move to an area where there is a strong and vibrant arts culture.

As a country, particularly in rural and regional areas, Australia tends to be very good at knocking things that are different. So to be good at innovation you need to be in an environment that supports and encourages people to be entrepreneurial.

Innovation tends to thrive in artistic communities because they are more accepting of differences. Rural and regional areas in Australia that are doing well tend to have vibrant arts communities.